Closure fastener



H. McC. PATERSON.

CLOSURE FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 16, 1920.

Patented Jan. 24,1922.

PATENT OFFICE.

HORATIO MCCULLOGH PATERSON, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

CLOSURE FASTENER.

Application filed November 16, 1920.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Honario McCULLooH PATERSON, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Closure Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

The efiicient closure of certain types of doors such as refrigerator doors is necessary in order that the sealing should be quite tight, and it is also desirable that the closing mechanism of such doors should be easily operated. here doors of refrigerating chambers do not close properly leaks in the insulation will occur resulting in damage to the goods stored and consequent expense, while it is found that doors of this class, the closure mechanism of which is apt to be deranged, are frequently left open. The object of the present invention is to provide a type of door, the closure of which shall be perfectly tight all round the sealing edge and which may be tightly closed round the periphery by the action of preferably only one operating handle.

According to the present invention, a series of pivotal catches are provided round the peripheral edge of the door to be sealed, such catches being simultaneously operated by means of rods which interconnect all the catches with the operating handle, the articulation of the rods round the angular corners of the door being efiected by coupling the ends of such rods together by means of bell crank or the like elements, which may themselves also function as catches acting to press the door into close contact with the recess into which it fits. edge surfaces or the like are provided on the door in the region of the pivotal catches with which the catches are adapted to make contact, or conversely, where the pivotal catches are mounted on the door itself such contacting surfaces would be mounted on the door frame. In the case of hinged doors,-

the necessary clearance at the pin of the hinge is provided in order to enable the door at the hinge edge to move inward and close the joint. The pivotal catches and the cooperating wedge surfaces may be formed on the exterior or the interior of the door, and in the latter case only the spindle of the operating handle would project through to the front. The invention further relates to a particular shape of the door hinge arms,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 24, 1922.

Serial No. 424,473.

whereby sagging of the door is prevented and the overhanging weight more effectively carried from the hinge pins.

A door closing mechanism in accordance with this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1. is an elevation of the door of a cold storage chamber the pivotal catches and their operating mechanism being mounted on the exterior and the catches being shown in the closed position. Fig. 2. is a fragmentary detail view to a larger scale of the operating handle side of the door as shown in Fig. 1, the three catches on that side being shown in the open position. Fig. 3. is' an enlarged detail view of one of the centre pivotal catches, showing its operating rods and guide bracket, and Fig. 4. is a plan of Fig. 3.

In carrying out the invention, the door 1 is carried by means of the hingearms 2 from the hinge elements 3 on the door framing 4, and round the periphery of the door and on the framing is mounted a series of catches 5, 6, pivoted at 7 in brackets 8 9. The brackets have lug guides 10 in which are slidably mounted operating or connect ing rods 11, the ends of which are connected to the central and corner pivotal catches by means of blocks 12 pivotally carried on the rods 11 which blocks are adapted to slide in slots 13 as the catches are angularly deflected about the pivots 7. The inner engaging ends of the catches may be chamfered off at 14, as indicated in Figs. 3, 4, and are adapted to make contact with plates 15 secured on the edges of the door. The operating rods 11 are shown in the drawings as of rectangular section but they may be round or of any other desired section. On the spindle of one of the catches is fitted a main operating handle 15" and consequently by the angular movement of this handle the catches may be rotated clear of the contact plates 15, as shown in Fig. 2 or closed on such plates, as shown in Fig. l the wedge faces 1 f on the catches and the corresponding faces on the contact plates 15 ensuring that the door shall be compressed evenly all round its periphery against the sealing joint, which may be made in the usual way for cold storage work by means of felt lined shoulders, such shoulders or abutments having a series of steppings. In order to enable the longitudinal movement of the operating rods 11 to be transferred round the corners to the rods at right angles to the main 0perating rod actuated by the handle 15, the corner catches 6 are made, as shown, somewhat in the form of bell crank levers, the slots 13 and pivotal guide blocks 12 on the ends of the rods 11 enabling the longitudinal' movement on the operating side to be translated into movement at right angles along the adjoining rods, and in this way the whole series of the rods are moved simultaneously in one or other directionby the handle 15, much greater facility being thus obtained in the closing or opening of the door.

In the construction shown all the catches are shown on the exterior of the door, but if desired. they may be fitted on the interior and only the spindle of the operating handle in. that case would project through the door or its framing as the case may be, the operating handle 15 being of course mounted on the exterior.

Instead of the brackets 8, 9, being separate elements as shown fitted on the corners of the door-and in the central portions of each side edge, suchbrackets may be combined in a single integral frame, the lugs 10 being on this frame which could then be fitted in a single operation in position on the door framing or on the door, as required. This latter construction of a single integral frame would enable the door closing mechanism to be put together in its entirety and as a working unit before being attached to the door or its framing and ensure that the lugs 10 for the operating rods 11 would be machined correctly in alignment, thus saving a considerable amount of time and labour which might otherwise be required in the accurate positioning of the various bracket guides when these are fitted as separate elements.

The arms 2 of the hinges are preferably made with an upward curvature as shown, this construction having been found to assist in securing a better support of the door about the hinges, the upward direction of the hinge arms more effectively preventing downward sag of the door and consequently obviating any tendency to bind on the lower engaging edge.

A stop mechanism may be provided for limiting the angular movement of the operating handle 15;, thus preventing any excessive strain being set up on the catches and only permitting that amount of compression on the door j oint which is necessary properly to seal the same, and provision may be made for locking the catches when set to the closed position.

While the door has been described as being particularly applicable for use in refrigerator work, such a type of door mechanism would be equally available for use in any other position where an effective hermetically sealed closure is required, such as say between engine and boiler rooms on board ship, watertight compartments, or in any other position of a like nature ficient sealing is necessary. 7

An inner handle 15 may be provided on where e the Same spindle as the handle 15 so that the the catches, bell crank elements coupling the rods for translating the operative movement of the rods round the door corners, and a handle adapted to move the rods whereby all the catches are operated simultaneously.

2. A door closing mechanism, comprising, a series of pivotal catches disposed round the peripheral edge of the door, rods disposed round the door interconnecting the catches, guide brackets for the rods, pivotal blocks on therods, engaging slots in the pivotal catches, bell crank elements coupling the rods for translating the operative movement of the rods round the door corners, and a handle adapted to move the rods whereby all the catches are operated simultaneously. c

A door closing mechanism, comprising, a series of pivotal catches disposed round the peripheral edge of the door, contact plates with which the catches engage, rods disposed round the door, interconnecting the the pivotal catches, bell crank catch elements coupling the rods for translating the opera: tive movement of the rods round the door corners, and a handle adapted to control one rod whereby owing to the interconnection of the rods all the catches are operated simultaneously.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HORATIO McCULLOCH PATERSON.

l/Vitnesses A. J. DAVIES, J. j C. MoRAn. 

